{"abstract":"The U.S. Department of Transportation (Department or DOT) is proposing to codify its longstanding interpretation that it is an unfair business practice for a U.S. air carrier, a foreign air carrier, or a ticket agent to refuse to provide requested refunds to consumers when a carrier has cancelled or made a significant change to a scheduled flight to, from, or within the United States, and consumers found the alternative transportation offered by the carrier or the ticket agent to be unacceptable. The Department is also proposing to require that U.S. and foreign air carriers and ticket agents provide non-expiring travel vouchers or credits to consumers holding non- refundable tickets for scheduled flights to, from, or within the United States who are unable to travel as scheduled in certain circumstances related to a serious communicable disease. Furthermore, the Department is proposing to require U.S. and foreign air carriers and ticket agents provide refunds, in lieu of non-expiring travel vouchers or credits, if the carrier or ticket agent received significant financial assistance from the government as a result of a public health emergency. The NPRM proposes to allow carriers and ticket agents to require consumers provide evidence to support their assertion of entitlement to a travel voucher, credit, or refund.","action":"Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM).","agencies":[{"raw_name":"DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION","name":"Transportation Department","id":492,"url":"https://www.federalregister.gov/agencies/transportation-department","json_url":"https://www.federalregister.gov/api/v1/agencies/492","parent_id":null,"slug":"transportation-department"},{"raw_name":"Office of the Secretary"}],"body_html_url":"https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/full_text/html/2022/08/22/2022-16853.html","cfr_references":[{"chapter":null,"citation_url":null,"part":259,"title":14},{"chapter":null,"citation_url":null,"part":260,"title":14},{"chapter":null,"citation_url":null,"part":399,"title":14}],"citation":"87 FR 51550","comment_url":null,"comments_close_on":"2022-11-21","correction_of":null,"corrections":[],"dates":"Comments should be filed by November 21, 2022. Late-filed comments will be considered to the extent practicable. Petitions for a hearing pursuant to 14 CFR 399.75(b)(1) must also be filed by November 21, 2022.","disposition_notes":null,"docket_ids":["Docket No. DOT-OST-2022-0089"],"dockets":[{"supporting_documents":[],"agency_name":"DOT","documents":[{"comment_count":4781,"comment_start_date":"2022-08-22","updated_at":"2024-12-23T11:56:05.660-05:00","comment_url":"https://www.regulations.gov/commenton/DOT-OST-2022-0089-0524","allow_late_comments":false,"id":"DOT-OST-2022-0089-0524","comment_end_date":"2022-12-17","regulations_dot_gov_open_for_comment":false}],"supporting_documents_count":0,"id":"DOT-OST-2022-0089","title":"Airline Ticket Refunds and Consumer Protections"}],"document_number":"2022-16853","effective_on":null,"end_page":51581,"executive_order_notes":null,"executive_order_number":null,"explanation":null,"full_text_xml_url":"https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/full_text/xml/2022/08/22/2022-16853.xml","html_url":"https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2022/08/22/2022-16853/airline-ticket-refunds-and-consumer-protections","images":{},"images_metadata":{},"json_url":"https://www.federalregister.gov/api/v1/documents/2022-16853?publication_date=2022-08-22","mods_url":"https://www.govinfo.gov/metadata/granule/FR-2022-08-22/2022-16853/mods.xml","not_received_for_publication":null,"page_length":32,"page_views":{"count":16208,"last_updated":"2026-04-04 20:15:04 -0400"},"pdf_url":"https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/FR-2022-08-22/pdf/2022-16853.pdf","presidential_document_number":null,"proclamation_number":null,"public_inspection_pdf_url":"https://public-inspection.federalregister.gov/2022-16853.pdf?1660913117","publication_date":"2022-08-22","raw_text_url":"https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/full_text/text/2022/08/22/2022-16853.txt","regulation_id_number_info":{"2105-AF04":{"issue":"202310","html_url":"https://www.federalregister.gov/regulations/2105-AF04/refunding-airline-tickets-ancillary-service-fees","title":"Refunding Airline Tickets Ancillary Service Fees","xml_url":"http://www.reginfo.gov/public/do/eAgendaViewRule?pubId=202310&RIN=2105-AF04&operation=OPERATION_EXPORT_XML","priority_category":"Other Significant"}},"regulation_id_numbers":["2105-AF04"],"regulations_dot_gov_info":{"supporting_documents":[],"regulatory_plan":{"html_url":"https://www.federalregister.gov/regulations/2105-AF04/refunding-airline-tickets-ancillary-service-fees","title":"Refunding Airline Tickets Ancillary Service Fees"},"comments_count":4781,"agency_id":"DOT","comments_url":"https://www.regulations.gov/docketBrowser?rpp=50&so=DESC&sb=postedDate&po=0&dct=PS&D=DOT-OST-2022-0089","supporting_documents_count":0,"docket_id":"DOT-OST-2022-0089","document_id":"DOT-OST-2022-0089-0524","regulation_id_number":"2105-AF04","title":"Airline Ticket Refunds and Consumer Protections","checked_regulationsdotgov_at":"2024-12-24T16:00:06Z"},"regulations_dot_gov_url":null,"significant":true,"signing_date":null,"start_page":51550,"subtype":null,"title":"Airline Ticket Refunds and Consumer Protections","toc_doc":"Airline Ticket Refunds and Consumer Protections","toc_subject":null,"topics":["Administrative practice and procedure","Air carriers","Air carriers","Air rates and fares","Air taxis","Consumer protection","Consumer protection","Reporting and recordkeeping requirements","Small businesses"],"type":"Proposed Rule","volume":87}